Hemmer attachment



Sept. 1, 1942. v J. P. ENOS HEMMER ATTACHMENT Filed Nov 23. 1940 s e. 1 n f if WM n. E n H H Patented Sept. 1, 1942 UNITED STATES E ATEN'E'. OFFICE HEP/ MEIR ATTACHMENT John P. Enos, Union, N. J., assignor to The Singer Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 23, 1940, Serial No. 366,795 7 12 Claims. (01. 112-141) This invention relates to hemming attachments for sewing machines and has for its primary object the provision of a hemmer wherein the work-folding scroll is adapted to yield in a direction parallel to the normal line of seamformation, thereby to vary the capacity of the hemmer so that the same may readily accommodate materials having cross-seams therein.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hemmer-foot having, in addition to a yieldable scroll, a secondary vertically resilient sole-plate in alinement with the delivery end of the hemmer-scroll, which resilient sole-plate may rise in response to variations in the thickness of fabrics being hemmed and thereby materially reduce the resistance to the passage of fabrics having varying thicknesses beneath the hemmer-foot.

Further advantages attained by the present invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a presser-foot hemmer embodying the invention and showing the edge-folding of a fragmentary portion of fabric having a cross-seam therein.

Fi 2 is a bottom plan view of the improved hemmer foot.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational View.

Fig. 4 is a right-side elevational view.

Fig. 5 is a rear elevational view.

Fig. 6 is avertical sectional View taken substantially along the line 6-8, Fig. 1.

Figs. '7 and 8 are right-side elevational and top plan views, respectively, of the resiliently supported secondary sole-plate showing its preferred design.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, the attachment illustrated comprises a presser-foot having a primary base-member or sole-plate l formed with a shank 2 socketed at its upper end to receive the usual presser-bar 3, shown in section in Fig. 1 only. The sole-plate l at its forward end is provided with a slightly upturned toe 4 having fixed thereto the shank 5 of a conical shaped arbor 6, the free end of which extends rearwardly in the direction of feed;

Cooperating with the arbor 6 is the usual hemmer-scroll 1 having a leading edge 8 which extends spirally rearwardly in proper alinement with the usual sewing machine needle. To effeet a proper control of relatively thin fabrics the hemmer-scroll l is normally in close juxtaposition to the arbor 6. When in such close juxtaposition the hemmer-scroll may become choked in the event any abnormally thick portion of fabric passes through the hemmer. To prevent this choking, the hemmer-scroll 1 is adapted to yield in the line of feed, and to this end the hemmer-scroll is soldered or otherwise secured to the forward end of a slide-bar 9 supported preferably in a longitudinal guideway ID in the sole-plate l by two screws ll threaded into the sole-plate, the inner ends of the two screws entering two elongated apertures I2 in the slidebar 9, see Fig. 6. The two screws II, in addition to maintaining the slide-bar 9 in the guideway I0, also serve to limit the extent of endwise movement of said slide-bar. The hemmer-scroll is normall biased forwardly into close juxtaposition with the arbor by a spring-wire l3 anchored at its upper end by a screw 14 threaded into the shank 2 and at its lower end seated in'a vertical groove l5 in the rear end of the slide-bar 9. 7

From the above description it will be understood that as a cross-seam is drawn into the hemmer, the abnormally thick portion of fabric will contact the leading edge 8 of the hemmerscroll l and shift the scroll relative to the arbor 8 rearwardly in the direction parallel to the normal line of feed against the opposition of the spring-wire l3. This shifting of the scroll 1 relative to the inclined work-controlling surface of the conical arbor 6 increases the capacity of the hemmer to the point where the resistance to the passage through the hemmer of the abnormally thick portion of fabric is consider ably reduced, with the consequent minimizing of the distortion of the fabric margin comprising the hem-fold. It will be appreciated that in place of an arbor having a conical shape there may be employed an arbor having a uniform crosssection, in which case the axis of the arbor should be slightly inclined with respect to the line of feed, as is the axis of the arbor 6 in the present case, see Fig. 2. I e

As a means for reducing-further the resistance to the passage through the hemming foot of an abnormally thick cross-seam or the like,

'the sole-plate I is formed directly behind the delivery end of the hemmer-scroll with a cut-out into which is placed a secondary soleplate l6 pivotally supported for limited vertical movement. This secondary sole-plate, as shown in Fig. '7, comprises the horizontal limb of a substantially L-shaped section I7 whichis apertured as at l8 to receive its supporting pivotpin I9 fixed in the heel of the primary soleplate I. Formed in the secondary sole-plate I6 is the usual needle-aperture 20.

The work-engaging surface of the secondary sole-plate I6 is normally maintained at substantially the same level as the work-engaging surface of the primary sole-plate I through the use of a suitable leaf-spring 2| secured at its upper end by the screw 22 to the shank 2 and at its lower end bearing against the vertical limb 23 of the L-shaped section H. In the coplanar position of the work-engaging surfaces of the primary sole-plate l and the secondary sole-plate It, the upper end of the vertical limb 23 of the L-shaped section' I! contacts the inclined lower end 24 of the shank 2, as illustrated in Fig. 4.

In operation, as an abnormally thick crossseam, or the like, is drawn into the hemmer the cross-seam first engages the hemmer-scroll 1 and shifts it away from the arbor 6 in the direction of feed a distance sufficient to permit the crossseam to readily pass through the hemmer. After passing through the delivery end of the hemmer the cross-seam then engages the forward end of the secondary sole-plate l6 and tilts the L-shaped section I! about its pivot-pin l9, in opposition to the leaf-spring 2 I. This tilting of the secondary sole-plate I6 provides additional clearance forwardly of the needle-aperture 26 between the work-engaging surface of the secondary soleplate and the usual throat-plate of the sewing machine. This additional clearance forwardly of the needle-aperture practically eliminates any tendency toward the distortion of the fabric margin comprising the hem-fold.

From the above description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing it will be understood that the present invention contemplates a hemmer-foot particularly adapted to handle fabrics having cross-seams therein, this desirable objective being realized through the use of a hemmer-scroll supported to yield in the direction of feed coupled with a pivotally sustained secondary sole-plate adapted to yieldingly tilt to provide additional clearance forwardly of the stitching point to accommodate the crossseam.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is:

1. A sewing machine hemming attachment comprising a base-member, an arbor supported by said base-member and disposed so that its free end extends rearwardly in the general direction of feed, a hemmer-scroll cooperating with said arbor to hem-fold the marginal edges of fabric sections, and a slide-bar carrying said hemmer-scroll and adjustably supported by said base-member so thatsaid hemmer-scroll may be adjusted relative to said arbor in a direction parallel to the normal line of feed of the fabric through said hemming attachment.

2. A sewing machine hemming attachment comprising a base-member, an arbor supported by, said base-member and disposed so that its free end extends rearwardly in the general direction of feed, a hemmer-scroll complemental to said arbor, means supporting said hemmerscroll so that the same may under the influence by said base-member and disposed so that its free end extends rearwardly in the general direciton of feed, a hemmer-scroll complemental to said arbor, a slide-rod supported by said basemember and carrying said hemmer-scroll for bodily movement away from said arbor in a direction parallel to the normal line of seam-formation, means for limiting the extent of movement of said slide-bar, and means for biasing said hemmer-scroll into cooperative relation with said arbor.

4. A sewing machine hemming attachment comprising a base-member provided with a guideway disposed parallel to the normal direction of feed of the work through the hemmer, an arbor supported by said base-member and disposed so that its free end extends rearwardly in the general direction of feed, a hemmer-scroll complemental to said arbor, a slide-bar carrying said hemmer-scroll and positioned in the guideway in said base-member for endwise movement, means for limiting the extent of endwise movement of said slide-rod, and a spring for yieldingly maintaining said hemmer-scroll in cooperative relation with said arbor.

5. A sewing machine hemming attachment comprising a base-member provided with a guideway disposed parallel to the normal direc tion of feed of the work through the attachment, an arbor supported by said base-member, a hemmer-scroll complemental to said arbor, a slidebar carrying said hemmer-scroll and disposed in said guideway for endwise movement, said slidebar having an elongated aperture formed therein, a screw threaded into said base-member and adapted to enter said elongated aperture to maintain the slide-bar in said guideway and to limit the endwise movement of said guide-bar, and a spring engaging said slide-bar for maintaining said hemmer-scroll in cooperative relation with said arbor.

6. A presser-foot hemmer having a sole-plate provided with a longitudinal guideway and at its forward end with at least one toe, an arbor supported by said toe, a hemmer-scroll complemental to said arbor, a slide-bar carrying said hemmer-scroll and adapted to yieldingly slide endwise in said guideway upon contact of the hemmer-scroll with abnormally thick portions in the fabric being hemmed, and spring means for biasing said hemmer-scroll toward said arbor.

-7. A presser-foot hemmer having a primary sole-plate provided at its forward end with at least one toe, an arbor supported by said toe, a hemmer-scroll complemental to said arbor, means supporting said hemmer-scroll for movement relative to said arbor in a direction parallel to the normal line of feed of the fabric through the attachment, and a secondary sole-plate located rearwardly of and in alinement with the hemmer-scroll, said secondary sole-plate being adapted to yield in response to abnormally thick portions in the fabric being hemmed.

8. A presser-foot hemmer having a primary sole-plate provided with a cut-out and at its forward end with at least one toe, an arbor supported by said toe and disposed so that its free end extends rearwardly in the general direction of feed, a hemmer-scroll complemental to said arbor, means supporting said hemmer-scroll for movement relative to said arbor in a direction parallel to the normal line of feed of the fabric through the attachment, and a yieldable secondary sole-plate provided with a needle aperture and located in the cut-out in said primary soleplate rearwardly of and in alinement with the hemmer-scroll.

9. A presser-foot hemmer having a primary sole-plate formed with a cut-out, an arbor supported by said sole-plate and disposed so that its free end extends rearwardly in the general direction of feed, a hemmer-scroll complemental to said arbor, and a secondary sole-plate formed with a needle-aperture and located in said cutout rearwardly of and in alinement with said hemmer-scroll, said secondary sole-plate being pivoted to said primary sole-plate rearwardly of said needle-aperture to tilt in response to abnormally thick portions of fabric passing beneath said secondary sole-plate.

10. A presser-foot hemmer having a primary sole-plate formed with a cut-out, an arbor supported by said sole-plate and disposed so that its free end extends rearwardly substantially in the direction of feed, a hemmer-scroll complemental to said arbor, a secondary sole-plate formed with a needle-aperture and located in said cut-out rearwardly of and in alinement with said hemmer-scroll, said secondary sole-plate being pivoted to said primary sole-plate rearwardly of said needle-aperture to tilt in response to abnormally thick portions of fabric passing beneath said secondary sole-plate, and spring means for normally maintaining the work-engaging surfaces of said primary and secondary sole-plates substantially coplanar.

11. A presser-foot hemmer comprising a primary sole-plate provided withva cut-out and at its forward end with at least one toe, an arbor fixed to said toe, a hemmer-scroll complemental to said arbor, a slide-bar carrying said hemmerscroll and supported by said primary sole-plate for endwise movement in a direction parallel to the normal line of feed, a spring for maintaining said hemmer-scroll in cooperative relation with said arbor, a secondary sole-plate located in said cut-out rearwardly of and in alinement with said hemmer-scroll, said secondary sole-plate being pivotally supported to tilt in response to abnormally thick portions of fabric passing beneath said secondary sole-plate, and a spring for biasing the work-engaging surfaces of said primary and secondary sole-plates into substantial coplanar relation.

12. A sewing machine hemming attachment comprising a base-member, an arbor supported by said base-member and disposed so that its longitudinal axis is angularly disposed to the normal line of feed, a hemmer-scroll cooperating with said arbor to hem-fold the marginal edges of fabric sections, and means supporting said hemmer-scroll for movement relative to said arbor in a right line parallel to the normal line of feed of the fabric through said hemming attachment.

JOHN P. ENOS. 

